Into The Fire
by Gothic984
Summary: Lucas is forced to deal with the consequences of his actions.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories and follows on from Family Ties.

Trinity South Carolina was a peaceful town that was seen as a haven for traditionalists, who strive for the american dream. Other small towns had inevitably been taken over by technology and a lack of respect for authority; however, Trinity remained untouched by any outside influences and although some sacrifices may be required at times, it was worth it to have a chance at a better life.

Lucas Buck stood silently under a large oak tree, ignoring the ice cold wind that wildly blew the leaves around him. He thought about how he ran his town and the sacrifices he required of his townspeople in return for a good life, then thought of his own life and how it appeared to be falling apart.

Lucas had to sacrifice any remnants of a normal life to take control of Trinity when he was younger, in line with the Buck tradition. Although he had never been one to be controlled, he had always had a strong determination to win; therefore, when opportunity knocked he welcomed it with open arms and accepted the power that had been bestowed upon him, after he dealt with his Father sufficiently for what he had done to his Mother.

When he was younger he believed that the deal was relative, as he could not miss what he had never actually had. The closest form of nurture he had experienced was from his Mother; however, that was ripped away from him by age 6, when his Father became paranoid that she would temp him to follow a different path.

He had never envisioned himself with a family of his own, or with the responsibility that came with it. When it became time for him to have an heir, he did what he had to do to win and to protect the path of his son. Although he had been fond of Judith, he did not believe he could ever commit to anyone and had been relieved at how it had all played out. As he stared into the large open window of his old friend Abraham's house and watched his wife and youngest son sat peacefully with his friend, he began to wonder whether his need to win at all costs was worth the price he had paid.

Gail had left with Luke on New Years eve and had not returned, just as she had warned. Lucas got Caleb in the split, which his love stated was all he had ever wanted and he was left taking care of his eldest son, while Gail and Luke resided her with Abe. Usually Lucas' first instinct would be to punish whoever took his property; however, Abe was his oldest friend and it had worked out better this way, as Abe insisted that Lucas was able to see Luke without accepting any argument from Gail.

Lucas lurked in the shadow of the tree, with the moon high in the sky. If his love could sense his presence, she was hiding it well and her attention did not falter from the game of scrabble she was playing with Abe. He applauded her courage for leaving, many would not dare cross him in such a way; however, her actions resulted in a lack of stability in him, which he was not used to and there would be consequences for someone.

Gail smiled cunningly as she reviewed the letters she had available, ignoring Luke's constant pointing out of the window. She was not oblivious to the intruder in the garden; however, she was making a conscious effort to push him out of her life and she would not give him the satisfaction of showing that he was bothering her.

This past three weeks had been hard for her son, he often cried for his Father and it broke her heart when she thought of the bond he was missing by being away from him; however, Lucas had proven it was not safe for her to be with him and he certainly was not capable of looking after Luke on his own, so this had been the only logical option.

Gail had no desire to separate a Father from his son, regardless of what Lucas may believe and she had made herself scarce on a number of occasions to allow him to spend time with Luke. She would ensure Lucas' relationship remained strong with their son, as any bond between a parent and a child should; however, she would not allow herself to be corrupted by that man any longer.

'Come on Rosie, I ain't got all night' Abe sighed, shifting Luke to his other knee when he reached frantically towards the window.

Gail could see Abe was struggling with Luke and could not bare to keep face any longer, not when it was affecting her son. She placed down her seven letter word triumph and laughed as Abe cursed out loud, then took Luke into her arms and headed towards the partially open window to allow him to look out. She watched sadly as Luke placed his small hand on the glass and felt a pain in her heart when she sensed their intruder reaching out as though to touch it.

Lucas held his hand out, allowing his son to feel his presence and waited for his love to acknowledge him. He smiled when he sensed her guard waiver at her sons clear desire to be with near him and took a few steps forward, waiting to be beckoned closer.

Gail surveyed the dark garden and her eyes rested on the large oak tree. She sensed him waiting to be invited, calling for her to accept him once more and took a deep breath in an attempt to control her urges. She sensed his doubt at what had transpired in order to allow him to win and his sincere apology, which she also saw on the bouquets of flowers that were delivered here and to her office on a daily basis. Their eyes met, boring into one another's souls and she felt the familiar yearning between her legs, willing for her to take him.

He held her gaze, not allowing her to move and Gail sensed his intense desire to be intertwined with her again. She felt her guard begin to melt away, craving his touch and how alive he made her feel. She thought about how easy it would be, for her to disregard her reservations and beckon him to her, then ran her fingers over the area of her neck where the sharp knife had been pressed and let out a small laugh.

Without any further delay, she took control of the situation and pulled Luke's hand off of the window, ignoring his protests, then closed the window and locked it securely. Lucas had betrayed her and he had brought this on himself; therefore, she would not allow herself to feel guilt over something that she had not caused.

Lucas let out a long frustrated sigh when their connection was severed and watched as she closed the curtains, in an attempt to block him out. His rage began to rise within him and clawed to be released, to punish her for the torture she was making him endure; however, he sensed her deep rooted feelings of betrayal and pushed his rage back down, then shook his head in exasperation and headed back to his car.

Gail sat back down opposite Abe and smiled reassuringly at her Uncle, as she cradled Luke in her arms to calm him. She let out a relieved sigh when she sensed the navy blue Crown Victoria pull away from the premises and returned her focus back to their game of scrabble, hoping to end this quickly so she could go back to completing her unfinished task.

* * *

Selena sat at her kitchen table with a large glass of wine, waiting for Billy to come home to her. He had been working late most nights this past few weeks and she was beginning to get suspicious of his lack of concern for her. If that was not enough to irritate her, Caleb Temple had been skipping school again. She had attempted to bring this to the attention of his cousin; however, the woman seemed indisposed of late and her immediate concern did not appear to be about her cousins education.

'Can you blame her?' Lucas asked as he appeared in the kitchen suddenly, then sat down beside her and took the drink out of her hand. 'She has a young child to tend to, as well as the rejuvenation of Goat Town'

'She has little old you to tend to as well, I'm surprised she let you out this late' Selena said cattily and got up to get herself another glass, trying not to outwardly show her irritation.

'Who are you callin' old?' Lucas asked, feigning offence and downed the glass of red wine then held the glass up to be refilled.

Selena narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, before refilling both glasses and sitting down across from him. Lucas had not been this open for conversation in a long time and she wondered what had caused this change in him.

'Never you mind, I'm here to discuss my boy' Lucas advised flatly and downed the second glass of wine.

Selena watched him closely, the Adonis she used to have the pleasure of satisfying. Her life had gone down hill after he had discarded her; however, his life seemed to thrive, or so the gossip around town would have her believe. 'Where is that little wife of yours anyway? She usually takes up these meetings about Caleb's education' she asked curiously.

'Indisposed, why do you ask? Ain't you happy with my company Teacher?' he asked playfully, sensing her desire for him instantly.

Selena bit her bottom lip and shook her head. 'I just don't think she'd appreciate you being alone with me, regardless of how indisposed she is' Selena warned, then ran her fingers through her hair and licked her lips teasingly.

It had been over three weeks since Lucas had been inside of Gail and he did not react well to her nectar being locked away. The way things stood at the moment, they appeared to be separated and although he did not desire Selena like he used to, it would not take much to change her image to the one he truly craved to enable him to obtain a release.

Selena watched him carefully, sensing the conflict within him. This was unlike the man she had known, who was always sure of what he wanted. Usually there was some comment to shoot her down by now; however, he was still here and had not rejected her. She decided to test the water and reached over, took his hand gently in hers and brought it to her mouth.

Lucas inhaled deeply as he watched her take two of his fingers into her mouth and begin to suck. This had not been what he had came here for; however, his love had released him from their contract and he was free to do whatever he pleased. He was Lucas Buck, Caretaker of Trinity and the most beloved man in town. Women wanted him, men feared him and he was free to take whatever wanted. The thought caused him to let out a small laugh, if that was the truth then why did the action of his present company leave such a bad taste in his mouth.

Selena let out a shocked breath when he pulled his fingers out of her reach and stood up to leave. 'Where are you going? You came here to talk' she said frantically, not wanting him to leave.

'I believe it's best for both parties if I go now, before we both do something we'll regret' Lucas advised, then headed out of the door towards his car.

Selena rushed to follow him out, then stopped at the door when she saw Gail sat casually on the bonnet of his Crown Victoria. She froze for a moment, when she felt her nemesis' eyes bore deep into her and then rushed back into the safety of her home.

Lucas smiled when he saw her, radiant as always and approached her slowly. 'Are you followin' me Mr Buck?' he asked sarcastically, attempting to hide his excitement at their closeness.

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head. 'Unlike you, I have a purpose for my stalking' she forced a smile, then handed him a large tub of stew.

Lucas took the tub carefully and reviewed the contents disappointingly.

'You thought I'd have another reason to catch up to you, apart from wanting to ensure that my cousin didn't starve while you had your fun?' she asked, unimpressed at their current location.

Lucas sensed her distrustful thoughts and laughed. 'You think I'd throw it all away for Selena?' he asked in disbelief.

'I think if you can hold a knife to your wife's throat, then infidelity isn't such a big leap' she shrugged, disinterested in the conversation and hopped off the car then began walking past him.

Lucas grabbed her arm tight as she passed him, then pulled her in close. 'Come home and talk to me' he ordered, feeling their strong connection at this close distance and not wanting to let it go.

Gail stared deep into his eyes, then shook her head. 'I am home and you have what you've always wanted since I came back to Trinity, so there's nothing left to say' she advised flatly, then pulled her arm free of his grasp and headed back towards her car.

Regardless of what Gail had said, he had noticed that the contents of the tub was far too much for a young boy; therefore, he believed that she had not fully given up on taking care of both him and Caleb, meaning there may still be a way to fix this mess.

Lucas inhaled deeply in an attempt to control his anger at the situation, then sensed Selena watching him discreetly behind a curtain and headed for the drivers side of his car. This was not the time or place to make a scene and he refused to allow his relationship problems to become public; therefore, he just got into his car and drove home to his son, leaving the women to do whatever they pleased.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Caleb stood at the small Coffee Shop counter, waiting for his order to be completed. He stared nervously at the clock as it struck 10am, hoping an adult would not scold him for being here when he should be in school; however, believing it was best to assist his Father rather than doing some unimportant activities at the instruction of a Teacher.

The past 3 weeks had been strange, he had returned home after he had been released from the hospital to learn that Gail had decided to stay with Abe and he was to remain with Lucas. Caleb had attempted to talk to his cousin about what was going on and to ensure that he had not caused her decision; however, Gail would not discuss the matter with him and he now only saw her when she brought him food throughout the day.

Gail had visited seen him inside of school hours and did not seem concerned that he was missing school. That in itself was out of character for her and concerning, so he had tried to talk to Lucas about her; however, his Father closed himself off to the matter and just appeared to want to be left alone. Caleb respected his wishes and had been keeping out of his way as much as possible, hoping his Father would return back to his usual self soon.

A small tap on the counter brought Caleb out of his thoughts and he smiled pleasantly at the pretty lady in front of him, then handed her the money for the coffee she had prepared for him. He exited the premises, focusing on not to drawing attention to himself and nearly spilled the boiling hot coffee over his sister when he walked into her.

'Careful!' Merlyn exclaimed in shock, then narrowed her eyes at her brother when she realised he was not in school.

'I can explain...' Caleb started, when he sensed a scolding coming; however, she held her finger up to silence him and crossed her arms over her chest sternly.

'What on earth could explain you being out at this time when you should be in school? Gail's gonna have a fit' Merlyn warned, not impressed that her brother appeared to find getting coffee more important than his education.

'Gail don't care what I'm doin', neither do you come to think about it or you woulda noticed this sooner' Caleb accused, choosing to take on a different tactic than usual.

Merlyn rolled her eyes at his outburst, then let out a small laugh. She could not deny that her attention had been on her new home, Matt and her dog recently; however, she had assumed that the Buck family would be focused on each other throughout the holiday season and thought a little selfish time for herself was allowed. 'Why wouldn't Gail care about what you're doin'? She's basically your Mother now' she advised, sensing the discomfort within her brother and curious as to what was causing it.

Caleb took a deep breath, then let out a long sigh. 'That was before she left with Luke' he shrugged, then started heading towards his bicycle.

Merlyn grabbed his arm gently as he passed her and spun him around to face her. 'Left to where?' she asked confused and suddenly concerned about her family.

'You care now?' Caleb asked sarcastically, then let out a small laugh and pulled his arm free. 'Go ask her, I'm just lookin' after my Daddy'

Merlyn watched as he mounted his bicycle and rode towards his home, then shook her head in disappointment at herself. It appeared she had been so focused on herself that she had missed something important with her family. She cursed herself for allowing her material things to cloud her judgement, then picked up her puppy and decided she had some catching up to do.

* * *

Lucas lay under the black silk sheets on his kingsize bed, staring at the undisturbed pillow beside his. It had been three days since his meeting with Gail outside of Selena's house and matters had gotten worse. Gail had started hunting Caleb wherever he was in town to provide him with food and drink, to avoid coming directly to the house. This was clearly to ensure she would not run in to him and she always seemed to find a way to leave any vicinity whenever Lucas was around.

This matter was bothering him more than it should and his weakness was beginning to grate on him. He understood that she felt betrayed; however, he had to protect his eldest against her Father and the quickest way to do that was to make it clear to Peter of what he lose, should he ever make a move against Caleb. Lucas admitted that had not considered how this would be taken by his love. In hindsight he supposed he should have thought the matter through, rather than allowing his twin to take control of the situation but his rage took over at the sight of Peter touching her and he could not take back what had happened next.

Gail was just a woman, she was unique and powerful but a woman all the same. He had previously assumed that her power would enable her to rise above the usual women traits; however, she was overreacting like women always do and he supposed he was required to take some of the blame, for assuming she was above that sort of thing. Now he had been left here with a teenager and had been unable to have a release for nearly four weeks.

Lucas glanced down at his hard manhood under the sheets as he considering taking on the task himself, then let out a frustrated laugh and shook his head. He was Lucas Buck, he was not required to satisfy himself and he could have whoever he wanted. This was beneath him and he would not stoop to the levels of an average men, just because a woman was trying to punish him.

A quiet creak came as the bedroom door opened slowly and Caleb entered, holding a large cup of coffee. 'Freshly brewed and delivered hot' Caleb smiled, as he sat beside his Father and handed him the drink.

Lucas smiled proudly at his boy, he must look unrecognisable for the boy to feel the need to tend to him. It was not fair for Caleb to be missing school and his normal routine, just because he struggled to get out of bed these days. The thought made him irritated at himself.

'It's alright' Caleb said, subconsciously reading his mind. 'All I'd be doin' is paintin' or somethin' and this way I get to ride around all day'

'I don't believe that's an acceptable pastime in school hours, regardless of who your Daddy is' Selena stated in mock disapproval and shot Caleb a wink.

Lucas cursed himself for his mind being too distracted to sense the intrusion and pulled himself upright, then shot a warning glance at his ex.

Selena had been sat at her desk contemplating the current state of her life, when an unexpected assembly was called. She had not been able to stop thinking of Lucas after he had left her place a few days earlier and used checking in on Caleb as an excuse to come here. 'You look awful' she advised, not liking the unkempt appearance of her usually flawless Adonis.

'You can talk!' Caleb snapped defensively, unimpressed at the intrusion and insult towards his Father.

Lucas smiled at Caleb coming to his defence and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He turned his attention to Selena, ready to scold her for the intrusion and comment; however, he found his eyes trailing down her small frame and resting on her long bare legs, which were visible due to her short skirt.

Selena laughed and shook her head amused. 'I wasn't trying to offend, just making an observation' she advised, then spotted the way Lucas was regarding her and felt the old fire relight inside of her. 'Why don't go get ready for school Caleb? We can be back before assembly finishes'

Caleb glanced at Lucas, who appeared fixated with his Teacher, then shrugged and left the bedroom to get his things ready.

Selena inhaled deeply and licked her lips seductively, happy that they were finally alone. She took a few steps forward and sat on the bed, then ran her fingers up the silk sheets and reached for his hard manhood, which was clearly visible under the sheets at this close proximity.

Lucas allowed her to get close and inhaled deeply when her fingers were only inches away from him. He was desperate for a release and this did not seem unacceptable; however, when her hand reached for him, he instinctively snatched it away and pushed her roughly towards the wall.

'Atta boy' Gail applauded slowly, then leaned against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest and smiled proudly at his resolve.

Lucas turned his attention to her, ready to come up with an explanation as to what she had witnessed; however, when he saw her attention turn to Selena, he knew he was not in trouble for this.

Selena glanced from Lucas to Gail, then back to Lucas for help. When he continued to watch his wife carefully, she quickly headed for the door; however, Gail stepped into her path.

'That's twice you've made an attempt my husband, care to explain why?' Gail asked flatly, using all of her control to hold in her anger.

Selena stood tall and regarded her nemesis bluntly. 'He clearly wanted it, it was in his eyes' she stated boldly, 'If you kept him more satisfied then maybe...'

Gail's hand shot out before Selena could finish and gripped her throat tight. She had heard enough of the whores excuses and began to squeeze the life out of her, whilst smiling maliciously. 'What's in his eyes is his desire for me, you understand?' she asked in a calm tone.

Lucas watched excited as Selena attempted to nod; however, Gail's grip was too tight and it only caused her to splutter. It appeared his wife had not released him from their contract after all and witnessing her wrath at another woman being near him caused a surge of electricity to flow through him.

Gail sensed Lucas' enjoyment of her actions and let out a long sigh. She had not intended to please him in such a way; however, she had also not expected to see her husbands ex partner in their bedroom. 'You attempt to touch him again, or even go near him and your fate won't be much different than Mayor Johns. Am I making myself clear?' she warned and tightened her grip on Selena's throat for a few moments, then released her and signalled for her to leave.

Lucas watched as Selena rushed down the stairs to Caleb and they both left the property together. He regarded Gail curiously as she picked up her small overnight bag, then headed to their wardrobe and started sifting through clothes. They remained in silence for a few minutes, then he shook his head and laughed. 'There's nothin' left to say on our relationship, but you choke a woman who comes on to me. There appears to be some mixed signals love'

Gail closed her eyes when he used his affectionate term for her and let out a long sigh, before turning her attention to him. 'I didn't expect to see another woman on our bed so soon, I can't be held accountable for my surprised reaction' she shrugged, then turned back towards the wardrobe.

'What do you expect when you take away my release, you should be thankful I've lasted this long' he mocked and smiled when he sensed her anger building, remembering that was always his way in before she gave herself over to him.

Gail laughed in disbelief at his comment, then approached him and pushed him down roughly. He was not the only one feeling the pent up frustration at their lack of union of late, she felt as though she was about to explode and his hard manhood visible under the sheets was not helping her control.

Lucas sensed her desire and pulled off the sheets, to reveal his unwavering desire for her. He let out a satisfied breath when she removed her panties and boots, then straddled him and took him inside of her without saying a word.

Gail cursed herself for not remaining in control; however, she let out a loud moan as he pushed his hips up, to force himself deeper inside of her. She placed her hands on his chest to keep him on his back, then closed her eyes and began riding him slowly. She heard his satisfied moans and her anger begin to rise, then she reminded herself that this was not for him and she would just take what she required.

Lucas sensed her attempt to keep them divided, then removed her hands to enable him to sit up and moved his lips towards hers for a passionate kiss. Suddenly, he felt her hand grip his chin hard and her movements ceased. He stared at her confused for a moment, then felt his own rage building when she just laughed and shook her head.

'No heart, no soul...that was the original deal right?' Gail asked, licking her lips teasingly and regarding him amused.

Lucas pushed his hips higher, then smiled when she let out a low moan. 'That was your request, not mine' he whispered, then nipped at her lips playfully.

Gail regarded him seriously for a moment, then turned his head away from hers and pulled him close. 'Not a request, a deal and it still stands. I don't want to look at you Lucas, if you want your release then you'll abide by our deal' she whispered, as she began moving up and down again.

Lucas let out a loud moan as a surge of pleasure flowed through him. He was about to take control and grab her hair, then force his lips onto hers; however, something inside of him was calling for him to play this smart, so he opted for nuzzling his head into her neck and kissing it softly.

Gail accepted the compromise and allowed him to nuzzle into her neck. Her unnatural animal desire for him took over and she started to ride him hard, craving a release. When she sensed their climax building, she scraped her nails down his bare back hard and drew blood. She smiled at his satisfied moans, then called out when he exploded within her and bit down on her shoulder. The pain was exquisite and she felt him licking her wound, knowing he had also drawn blood. She remained entangled with him for a few minutes, then released herself from their embrace and cleaned herself up.

Lucas inhaled deeply to calm his heart rate and watched disappointed as she redressed, then went back to packing clothes into her bag. 'So that's it? You get your fill then you're gone?' he panted, struggling to catch his breath.

'Oh please, you wouldn't have it any other way sweetheart' she mocked, then started to head towards the door.

'You really think you're anythin' without me Darlin'?' he asked, wondering whether she truly believed she could remove him from her life.

Gail considered the question in disbelief, then turned back towards him and regarded him amused. 'I had a life and a career before you Sheriff, that still remains now' she advised, then left him alone in the room while she left the property.

Lucas let out a small laugh and shook his head. 'We'll see about that' he smirked devilishly, then got up and headed for a shower.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Merlyn entered the crowded reception of the Trinity Guardian building and smiled warmly at the security guard behind the desk. When he recognised her and signalled for her to continue to the elevators, she nodded her thanks and waited patiently for the elevator to come.

She had been pondering over what Caleb had informed her and decided that the best place to start in reacquainting herself with her family was at her cousins place of work. Gail was well and truly off her maternity leave, which meant she would be trying to get back to normality. She was not a housewife and Merlyn knew Gail would be looking for the next gruesome thing to report on, to enable her to get back into the swing of things; therefore, this was the place to find her.

Merlyn entered the main area and headed for Gail's private office, ignoring the disapproving look from the young receptionist when she passed. Merlyn was still contracted on part time hours here; however, she had not had the opportunity to progress without her cousins assistance and she must seem like a stranger to the people who worked here.

'It's a good job that I'm back then' Gail stated, as she came out of the copy room and smiled at her.

Merlyn felt a warmth flow through her when she saw her cousin and smiled back at her. Gail had given her a number of opportunities in the past and appeared to really want her to take advantage of her new life. She just wished she knew were to start, as she did not want to become a failure in her eyes.

'Don't be silly' Gail said, reading her mind and led her to her office. 'I'm more of a failure to you guys than you could ever be to me'

Merlyn sensed her pain and shook her head at the statement. 'You gave up everythin' to be here, that ain't no failure'

'I married the man who murdered you, knowing deep in my soul what he did' Gail advised bluntly, after closing the office door.

Merlyn did not understand where this sudden candidness was coming from; however, she did not like it, or that her cousin appeared to be blaming herself for something. 'You married the man you loved, you can't blame yourself for that' she tried to reassure her.

'I married a rapist and murderer, then turned into a murderer myself...How can you defend me?' Gail asked in disbelief and stared at the fresh bouquets of flowers dotted around the place, which had been discreetly delivered when she had not been in her office. She was not looking for redemption or excuses, she was just sick of secrets and did not have the strength to keep them any longer.

Before Merlyn had a chance to respond, a knock came on the door and Gail glanced at her confused.

'Come in' Gail called, then signalled for Merlyn to sit on the chair in front of her desk while she perched on the corner of the desk.

When Gail's Editor Mark entered, he looked nervous and both women knew something was wrong. Mark shifted on the spot and held his neck as though he was in pain, then straightened up and regarded them both professionally. 'Look, you know you're my best Reporter. That's obvious right?' he asked, watching Gail carefully.

Gail narrowed her eyes at him, sensing his discomfort and regarded him frankly. 'Stop beating around the bush and get to the point, I haven't got the patience for this right now' she stated, sensing he needed to tell her something important.

Mark inhaled deeply and shook his head in irritation at what he had been ordered to do. This was not right and he disagreed with it on so many levels; however, the order had come from above him and he was not high enough to refuse it. 'Danielle's gonna be covering the upcoming Mayor election' he spat out and waited for her reaction.

Gail stared at him in disbelief, but remained calm. 'And what will I be doing?' she asked flatly, careful not to react to his statement.

Mark shifted on the spot uncomfortably and stared at his feet. 'You'll be covering the lifestyle section, seen as all the ladies in town love you' he advised, attempting to pay her a compliment.

Gail inhaled deeply and pushed down her anger, then shook her head in disappointment. 'When you convinced me to take this job, you promised it would be worth my while. Now I'm a lifestyle Reporter covering bake sales and such? Is that what you're telling me?' she asked, forcing a sweet tone.

Mark stared at her apologetically, then let out a relieved breath when she just signalled for him to leave and rushed out of the office.

Merlyn watched in disgust as he fled, then turned her attention to her cousin. 'You're not goin' to fight this?' she asked, furious at what she had just witnessed.

Gail stood up and began pacing the office, then let out a long breath and walked towards the large window that overlooked the street. 'It appears my husband works faster than I thought' Gail laughed in annoyance, remembering Lucas' last words as she left him earlier.

Merlyn was confused, Lucas had no reason to sabotage her career when it would only turn her against him, unless Caleb had been right and she had already parted from him. 'What are you gonna do?' she asked, not liking the dark look in her cousin's eyes.

'Oh all kinds of things' she smiled mischievously, then signalled for Merlyn to follow her.

* * *

Lucas sat with Ben and Billy, in the Coffee Shop across from the Sheriff's Station and bounced Luke on his lap. He had chosen to locate Abe after his earlier visit from Gail and was pleasantly surprised when the old man handed him his son for the day. Lucas had brought Luke to work with him, albeit later than usual and had kept the boy in his office while he reviewed Ben's weekly reports; however, he did not have the heart to keep his son cooped up all day and decided to allow Ben an extended break, while they took in the fresh air.

'So how'd you get outta work?' Ben asked Billy, as the young waitress placed some pastries and cakes on the table. He looked at the large white chocolate muffin hungrily and took it when the other men did not make a move.

'I'm head Doctor, I can do what I want. Besides, who'd ensure you didn't have a heart attack before you got the balls to propose if I was working all the time?' Billy asked sarcastically, then removed the muffin from Ben's hand and placed it on his plate.

Lucas laughed at the pair and shook his head. 'If you don't get that pretty little red head bang to rights soon, someone else may just swoop in' he warned, hoping to light a fire under his Deputy.

'Will you two leave me alone? I'm workin' on it' he snapped, then reached for a glazed doughnut and took a large bite.

'By the time you complete the task, I'll have grey hair. Why don't you invite her to the restaurant on Blake Street and we'll make a double date of it, that way you have support if it all goes south' Lucas suggested, as he took out Luke's bottle and began feeding him carefully.

Billy could not contain his laughter and nearly spat out the piece of muffin he was eating. 'You and Gail? From what I hear she has no desire to be anywhere near you right now and you're gonna give Ben relationship advice?' he asked in disbelief.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at Billy and shot him a look of warning. 'Whatever you heard from your piece on the side is wrong, in fact I had a tiring visit from my wife earlier and believe me when I say she's just as vigorous as ever. That's more than I can say about you and Selena' he mocked, then smiled at his hungry boy as he wolfed down his Mothers milk voraciously.

'You're all unbelievable' Matt stated, as he walked past them and began to head out of the Coffee Shop. He had heard everything they were talking about at the counter and could not believe the way they conversed about their women.

'Oh come on Harvard, you ain't goin' soft 'cause of that little piece of yours are you? We're just havin' a bit of harmless fun and releasin' some steam' Lucas advised, then smiled when Matt stopped and turned towards them angrily.

'Fun shouldn't be at the expense of your women, you especially should count yourself lucky for the one you've got' Matt said bluntly, then turned around to leave.

'And I do' Lucas smiled smugly, sensing the mans irritation and feeding off of it. 'Just this mornin' I admired how well I fit inside of her when she rode me before breakfast'

Matt felt his blood begin to boil at the thought of Gail touching this undeserving, disrespectful ass and was about to snap when he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder.

'We interrupin'?' Merlyn asked sweetly, as she approached the group with Gail a few yards behind her.

Lucas sat up at the sight of Gail and inhaled deeply as his eyes trailed down her tight brown jumper, to her short black skirt and bare legs. It was the same outfit she had worn earlier and he was happy to see she did not change, knowing his scent would still be on her.

Gail regarded the group suspiciously, when she sensed Matt's anger and turned towards him. 'Are you alright?' she asked, smiling warmly for Luke when he waved at her without taking his mouth off his bottle.

Matt inhaled deeply, in an attempt to push down his anger and shook his head before leaving the group to head back to the hospital.

'He's on edge today' Billy stated, eating the rest of his muffin.

'I guess that happen's when the men around him become disrespectful' Merlyn snapped knowingly, then rushed to catch up with Matt.

'Don't mind them love, they're just bein' dramatic. Why don't you pull up a chair?' Lucas asked, offering up the seat beside him.

Gail let out a small laugh at how delusional he was, then placed a hand on Ben's shoulder and smiled sweetly when he looked up at her. 'You got a bit of time for an interview?' she asked, ignoring Lucas' offer.

Ben turned to Lucas confused, then gulped nervously when his boss did not take his eyes off Gail.

'Interview for what?' Lucas asked, answering for his Deputy.

'A lifestyle article which I'm apparently writing now, who better for my first story than the Deputy of Trinity?' Gail replied at Ben, refusing to look at her husband even though Luke was trying to get her attention.

'You hear that Benji, you're gonna be famous' Lucas mocked, then placed the bottle he was holding on the table and held up a frantic Luke, who clearly wanted to see his Mother.

Ben let out a long sigh at the comment and shook his head. 'I suppose I ain't doin' anythin' important right now' he shrugged, then got up and headed towards Merlyn.

Gail walked to Luke and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, then turned to join Ben; however, Lucas grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him.

'Since when don't we give the onlookers somethin' to talk about?' he whispered smugly, then signalled behind him.

Gail surveyed the Coffee Shop and saw most eyes were on them. She had the dutiful wife persona to maintain, regardless of what she actually felt for her husband; therefore, she chose to play along and kissed Lucas passionately.

Lucas tangled his hand in her hair and kissed her forcefully, taking advantage of her determination to maintain their image. It had been a long time since her lips had touched his and he savoured the taste of her.

'Get a room' Billy suggested in disgust at the public display, then smiled apologetically at Gail for the comment when she broke free of the embrace and shot him a look of warning.

'I hate you' she whispered in Lucas' ear, then gave Luke a final kiss before she left him with his Father.

Lucas smiled, amused at the intense feelings he was bringing out of her and then reached for a muffin as he watched her leave.

Billy stared at his friend curiously, then let out a small laugh at the tension he had just witnessed and took a sip of his drink. 'If it was any colder a few moments ago, it'd be snowing' he mocked, choosing to comment on the atmosphere rather than ignore it.

'We got plenty of warmth Billy-boy, you just focus on your own relationship' Lucas warned, then got up and headed back to his office with Luke.

* * *

It was overly bright in the small room Gail found herself in and she sat back in the hard leather chair, pondering over her interview with Ben. That man was a true advocate for women and there was not a false bone in his body, not like her husband.

Ben would make a fantastic story, especially with what happened to his Father and brother when he was growing up. She had no doubt that she would be able to get his true nature across, whilst providing an gritty account of his past; however, Ben had only been a cover to keep Lucas from prying into her activities of the day, after he screwed with her professional life and it appeared it had worked.

Gail glanced towards the front of the tattoo parlour and let out a long relieved breath when all remained clear. She smiled pleasantly at the burly, long haired man who was gently holding her left wrist and waited patiently, as she sensed his reservations with what she had instructed him to do.

'I know who you are' he said nervously, as if to deter her from her current objective.

Gail let out a small laugh and regarded him warmly. 'I should think so with the amount of public affection my husband shows me' she replied sarcastically.

The man glanced down at the small picture she had provided him with and shook his head, torn at the best course of action here. On one hand, this nice woman was a customer and was smart enough to know what she was doing; however, on the other hand, if he made a mistake and Lucas Buck found out that he had marked his wife, there would be hell to pay.

Gail sensed his thoughts and placed her right hand on his arm softly. 'This is a present for my husband, to show my commitment to him' she lied, then put on her sweetest smile 'I know exactly what I'm getting myself in for and I'd appreciate it if you kept my visit to yourself'

The man let out a relieved breath at her last request and smiled. 'You won't tell him I did this?' he asked hopefully.

'It'll be our little secret' she whispered reassuringly, then closed her eyes and welcomed the pain that came when the needle pierced her skin.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Lucas sat on his car bonnet, waiting for the end of school bell to ring. After Ben had returned to work, he had a heart to heart with his Deputy over his relationship with Rita and was happy with himself for giving Ben the vote of confidence that he needed. Sometimes all you needed was a little push to make that american dream come true and this little push was free of charge, due to Ben's loyalty to him and his family.

Deep down Lucas hoped that his actions with Ben would project him in a different light to Gail, who had dropped Ben off earlier and took Luke without saying a word. He acknowledged her resentment and feelings of betrayal; however, he had decided that her disobedience was no longer acceptable and he would put an end to it, to get his family back together as they were meant to be.

'Lucas?' Caleb called out confused, when he saw his Father in the parking lot as he exited the school. He had his bicycle so Lucas had no reason to come for him; therefore, his presence was unexpected and made him curious and uneasy at the same time.

'Reign those thoughts in son, I'm here to take you to get the appropriate outfit' Lucas advised, jumping off the car and signalling for Caleb to pass his bicycle to him.

Caleb watched as his Father placed his bicycle securely in the trunk of his car and signalled for him to get in the front passenger side. 'What do I need an outfit for? I look fine!' he exclaimed, not seeing an issue with the striped blue T Shirt and old ripped pair of jeans that he was wearing.

'We have an invite to a special occasion and everythin' needs to be perfect. Them ol' rags you're wearin' are gonna kill the mood' Lucas laughed, then turned on the engine and pulled away from the school.

'What occasion? And who's goin'?' Caleb asked, sulking at the comment Lucas made about his clothes.

Lucas shook his head at the stubbornness of his family and slapped Caleb playfully on the head. 'Ben and Rita will be there, Ben Jr, us...'

'Gail and Luke?' Caleb asked expectantly.

Lucas smiled, but did not take his eyes off the road. 'With any luck your cousin will adhere to her duties and join us, Luke on the other hand will be sittin' this one out with Izzy' he advised, trying not to give too much away.

Caleb sat back in his seat and smiled. He did not care about any special occasion; however, if they were going to spend time together as a family again, he would happily make the effort to impress.

* * *

Gail pulled up at the expensive restaurant Lucas used to take her to and let out a long sigh. She had not been comfortable leaving Luke and Izzy with Abe and Billy; however, when Ben explained that this was important and her presence would make Rita feel more at ease, she could not refuse his request.

She hated her life of late, pandering to other people's needs above her own was becoming tedious; however, both Ben and Rita had been good friends to her, so she would make an effort to show her face if only for an half an hour or so.

As she turned off her engine, her drivers side door opened and she was met with a familiar hand. Gail quickly pulled the long sleeve of her black lace dress securely over her wrist, then let out a small knowing laugh and shook her head at her own stupidity.

'Evenin' Mrs Buck' Lucas said in his most charming tone and waited for her to take his hand, to enable him to assist her out of the car.

Gail spotted a few townspeople watching them up the road and played the dutiful wife, like she had on many occasion before. She placed her right hand in his; however, she was not impressed with this play and knew he had instigated whatever this was, making her suspicious of the whole situation.

'Oh don't be like that, this is Ben's night and we're only here as a back up to lighten the mood should things go sour' Lucas advised, placing her hand on his arm and lead her towards the front door of the restaurant.

Gail allowed Lucas to open the door for her, then stepped in obediently and smiled at the waiter who greeted them. 'You think it's appropriate to trick me into coming here and leaving our baby with an old man?' she forced a sweet tone, not allowing her irritation to be outwardly visible.

'I think it's appropriate for a husband to dine with his wife and son' Lucas advised, smiling for the people that they passed.

Gail approached the table and let out a small sigh when she saw Caleb sat with Ben Jr. She was not in the mood to play happy family; however, Lucas knew she would keep face for their reputation, just like her Mother used to and she did not disappoint. This spectacle was not doing him any favours with her and she vowed to get through it as quickly as possible.

'Don't be silly, we've only just opened your bottle of Prosecco' Lucas smiled, as he held the chair out for her and signalled for her to sit down.

Rita smiled when she saw Gail had joined them and nodded her thanks to her friend. 'I thought it was just gonna be me surrounded by boys tonight' she advised and squeezed Ben's knee affectionately.

'Is that such a bad thing?' Gail mocked teasingly, then picked up the glass of Prosecco Lucas had just poured for her and downed it without hesitation.

Ben noticed Gail's strange mood during their interview and her discomfort now. He shot Lucas a look of accusation, then let out a long sigh and shook his head when Lucas shot him a look of warning back.

Ben could feel the tension from that side of the table and cursed himself for allowing Lucas to convince him to do this tonight, when it was clearly part of some game. He was about to make an excuse for him and his family to leave; however, the waiter placed a food menu down in front of Rita and she looked so excited to be in such a nice restaurant.

Gail sensed Ben was uneasy and gave herself a mental shake, not wanting to spoil his evening.

'I have no idea what to have' Rita said quietly, trying not to seem out of place in such an expensive place.

'Well seen as my husband is footing the bill for whole table, I'd go all out. I'd recommend the butterfly chicken, it's amazing' Gail advised and forced a warm smile.

Lucas had not considered paying for everyone, assuming Ben would not want to feel inadequate in front of his family; however, when the words left Gail's mouth he saw the relief in Rita's eyes and remembered that this is why she was his anchor. 'What are you havin'?' he asked Gail as he placed his arm around her shoulders, wanting to take every opportunity to have a civilised conversation.

Gail inhaled deeply to hide her annoyance, as his voice pierced through her brain like a violent bolt of lightening. She had no choice but to be well behaved, as she would not make their problems public; therefore, she leaned closer to him and reviewed the menu, pondering over her choices. A sudden craving for beef came over her and she pointed to the most expensive steak on the menu.

Lucas inhaled her scent and felt his dark urges stir within him. He knew this was not the time to lose control and turned his attention to the waiter. 'I'll have my usual and we'll have one of your best medium rare steaks...' he started.

'Rare' Gail interjected, as she picked up his drink and took a sip.

'Rare' Lucas corrected himself, then turned his full attention to Gail and glanced at her curiously. 'What would you like with it?'

'Another very rare steak' she advised flatly, then pulled out her tongue and winked playfully at Caleb when she spotted him watching her.

The waiter looked at Lucas confused and Lucas shot him a look which dared him to question the order, then signalled for him to take the rest of the table's orders. 'Are you alright?' he whispered in Gail's ear, concerned with her order.

'Not even a little' Gail advised, then turned her attention back to her cousin who was clearly happy to be next to her.

* * *

Ben shifted uncomfortably in his seat when the waiter started clearing away their plates and taking their dessert order. He had not actually thought this whole thing through and now that it was coming to the end of their meal, he could not think clearly.

Lucas watched as Gail ripped apart a bread roll and pushed it around her plate to soak up the excess juices from her meal. The order had been completed to perfection and what appeared to have pooled on the plate was excess blood from the steaks. He stroked his hand down her back and watched as her position remained unchanged. 'You enjoy that?' he asked curiously, not sure of this change in her.

'It tasted like a $40.00 under-cooked steak, it was amazing' she said sarcastically, then excused herself to go to the bathroom.

Gail stared into the bathroom mirror at her pale skin and wiped the excess blood off of her lips. She did not feel herself; however, she put that down to the stress of her life of late and gave herself a mental shake, as this was not the time to lose control.

When she exited the bathroom, she felt a strong hand grip her arm and she was pulled into an empty room. She glanced around the room, feeling a sense of deja vu, then turned towards Lucas in irritation. 'How does man handling me keep your reputation intact?' she asked in annoyance.

Lucas disregarded the question and moved closer to her, causing her rest on the long table behind her. 'Do you remember this place? This is where I took you when you convinced me to release Harvard from Juniper' he advised.

Gail remembered as soon as the words left his mouth and let out a small laugh. 'I remember you goaded me into sleeping with you in exchange for releasing an innocent man' she stated, not wanting to pander to his walk down memory lane.

Lucas sensed her strong resentment for him and felt an uncomfortable feeling surge through him. Without thinking, he knelt down before her and took her right hand into his, then pulled out a small red velvet box and held it up to her. 'To go with your wedding ring, it looks a little lose' he advised in a low tone, staring deep into her eyes.

Gail shook her head in disbelief at this insult to her intelligence; however, she took the box and opened it, revealing a thin gold band with markings etched into it. 'What do you want from me?' she asked unimpressed, as she closed the box and placed it on the table.

'Come home' he asked quietly, not taking his eyes off of hers and ran his fingers up the side of her leg.

Gail held his gaze and saw how genuine he was. There was no falseness and no game, just an honest request that she had not expected from him. She felt a pain in her chest and her guard began to falter. Gail had not accounted for seeing her husband stripped down like this and she was not prepared for it. She could not bare to look into his eyes any longer; however, she could not look away.

'I'm sorr...' he started, then stopped when Gail pulled him up to her. He went to kiss her on the lips; however, she pulled away at the last second and shook her head in warning.

'Remember our deal' she advised, then turned around and pushed her behind gently into his crotch, not wanting him to pull her skirt up too high when she had been facing him.

Lucas did not understand, he had thought he had her for a moment; however, he sensed her guard was still in place. Lucas felt his manhood become hard as she brushed against him and could not resist the temptation, so he reached under her black lace dress and pulled down her panties. 'No heart, no soul' he whispered bitterly, then pushed himself inside of her hard.

Gail let out a pained moan and smiled, this was what she had prepared for and she welcomed his roughness. She pushed further back into him as he gripped her hips tight, then pounded in and out of her. He nipped at her skin and bit her hard like a rabid animal, she felt her strong desire for him flow though her and held on to the table tight while he punished her.

Lucas sensed her acceptance of him and intensified the force of his thrusts, all of his frustration at the unusual hurt that she made him felt was coming out and he wanted her to experience the pain she was putting him through. He felt their climax building together and quickened his movements, he called out when he erupted inside of her and smiled when she called out his name is ecstasy. He reached for her carefully and pulled her back into him while remaining inside of her, then kissed her neck softly.

Gail took the air into her lungs and breathed out slowly. She felt her guard remain intact and allowed him to caress her, too tired to do anything else for a few moments.

Lucas nuzzled his nose into her neck, then let out a disappointed sigh when she pushed him gently out of her and found a napkin to clean herself up with. 'I wasn't finished' he advised, not ready to let her go just yet.

'We have a group to get back to Sheriff, so clean yourself up and let's finish what you started so I can get home to my son' she ordered, throwing him a clean napkin on her way out of the room.

Lucas returned to their table to find Gail was nowhere to be found. When he sat down, Caleb moved to the chair beside him and took Gail's plate of chocolate cake.

'Where is she?' he asked concerned, suspecting the answer already.

'You disappeared and I couldn't wait any longer, so I proposed and Rita said yes' Ben smiled and ruffled Ben Jr's hair proudly.

'Gail offered to check on Izzy and Luke, so Rita walked her out' Caleb shrugged, attempting not show how upset he was at his cousin's departure.

'She'll come home, you'll see' Lucas forced a reassuring tone, then spotted the red Mustang pulling away outside of the restaurant and let out a long sigh.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Caleb lay in bed comfortably and stared at the ceiling, attempting to find the motivation to get up. He glanced at the clock on his beside table to find it was only 8am and he let out a long sigh. His Fathers recent morning pattern meant that he would not be up any time soon; however, Caleb decided that he might as well get started with the small bit of cleaning he had been doing in his cousins absence, to keep on top of the house work.

A cold breeze caused him to shiver when he sneaked out of his bedroom and slowly headed down the stairs quietly; therefore, he pulled his dressing gown tight around him as he retrieved the morning paper and rushed through the Parlour, then the Study and stopped in his tracks when he entered the kitchen.

Lucas stood over the coffee pot that he had just put on to brew, fully dressed and ready to head out to work. After going over three weeks without a release and finally getting a release twice on the previous the day, he felt exhilarated and ready for the day ahead.

Caleb glanced at Lucas in shock, not used to seeing him out of bed this early recently and smiled when he saw a bowl of cereal, in addition to milk and a glass of pure apple juice lay neatly on the kitchen table. He did not know what had changed; however, he was happy that his Father appeared more himself.

'It may not be a 5 star breakfast but it'll do until lunch time in school' Lucas advised as he watched the coffee brewing and reached back for the Trinity Guardian that Caleb held under his arm.

Caleb obediently passed him the newspaper and sat down to eat his breakfast, happy for some remnants of his normal routine.

Lucas sensed his happiness and cursed himself for allowing the boy to go unguided for such a long period of time. His self absorbed behaviour would not do going forward and he would make sure he performed his duties for the sake of his son.

Caleb smiled when Lucas pulled up a chair opposite him and placed his cup of coffee on the table. This may not be the family breakfast he had become accustomed to; however, it was better than him being alone and worrying about his Father. He watched as Lucas skimmed over the pages of the newspaper, then his attention rested on an article. Caleb had heard mention of Gail doing something different and assumed that's what had caught his attention.

Lucas ran his finger over the small picture of Gail at the top of her article and smiled at the title underneath of Lifestyle Columnist. He had not wanted to interfere with her work; however, she needed to learn that her options in Trinity were not as bright as she believed, if she chose to go against him and this little lesson would make her realise what she truly had with him in her life.

The title of the article 'New ways to feel' intrigued him and he found himself wondering what she had gotten out of his Deputy. He quickly realised that this article was not an interview with Ben at all and his hands gripped the newspaper tighter with the more he read, as he realised he had been played.

Gail had started off with describing the virtue of a woman and how sacred her vessel was, she went on to detail ways in which men violate woman without realising it and added some quotes from women who felt they had been handled inappropriately. She explained how important it was for women to stand together and not be afraid to feel. She then described in detail of how empowered she had felt just by getting a tattoo for the first time and the pleasure that could be taken from the pain of the act. She stated that she had enjoyed it so much that she had decided to get two, then ended the article by challenging all women to take a similar risk to release their inner goddess.

Lucas placed the newspaper down, then laughed out loud in disbelief. Firstly, Gail could not give a damn about rallying women together and took offence at false people who tried to do that. Secondly, he had examined every part of her body extensively and she had no tattoo's. She would never degrade her body with such a thing, as it was like her temple and she was forever moisturising to take care of her skin.

He took a sip of his coffee and smiled, Lucas would never have expected Gail to lie when she had such a high opinion of her profession. He worshipped her body, it was pure and only marked by him when they decided to take things rough, that was one of the things he loved about it. Gail would never defile herself in such a way when she took such good care of herself for him.

Suddenly he had a flashback of the previous evening when he had offered to assist her out of the car and remembered she had kept her left arm shielded from him. Another flash came of her turning away from him, wanting to be taken from behind and ensuring the front of her skirt had remained pulled down. He shook his head to dismiss the thoughts for a moment, then remembered how stubborn she was and closed his eyes at the possibility that she had marked her body permanently just to get back at him.

Caleb gave a small jump when Lucas pushed his chair back and stood up abruptly. He was about to question the sudden action; however, he saw the look of anger on Lucas' face and decided to remain quiet.

'Can you get yourself to school on time?' Lucas asked, not looking at him.

'Yes Sir' Caleb replied quickly, not wanting to give him any reason to direct his anger at him.

'Good, we'll sort your lunch out later' Lucas advised, then stormed out of the kitchen in search of his car keys.

* * *

Gail came out of the old house and knelt down behind her Uncle Abe, then wrapped her arms around him lovingly. Abe was sitting on the porch steps and staring out at the street with Luke on his knee, clearly in an attempt to entertain her son while his parents were not present. She was grateful for the opportunity to have a lie in and had woken up in a wonderful mood, knowing her article had been published in this morning's newspaper.

Abe smiled when he felt his Rosie's arms engulf him, then straightened up and tried to pretend he did not enjoy the affection. 'Ay up girl, I ain't your husband' he snapped, attempting to sound grumpy.

'No, you're even better' Gail laughed and squeezed him tighter when Luke began to laugh with her.

'Am I interruptin' this happy family moment?' Lucas asked flatly, as he walked down the path towards them and attempted to disguise his anger.

Abe let out a long sigh when he saw the look of thunder on Lucas' face, then stood up and held Luke to his chest protectively. 'I dunno what's up with you two, but you can keep it away from the boy' he warned, then headed into the house and left them to their business.

Gail stared disappointed as Abe retreated into his home, then stood up and crossed her arms over her chest firmly. 'You mind not bothering the man who takes care of our son?' she asked irritated.

'You mind pulling up your sleeve?' Lucas asked bluntly.

Gail watched him carefully as he closed the distance between and remained on the top step, ensuring she kept the higher ground. She could tell by this tone that he had read her article already and the fury she sensed underneath his calm composure made her smile. 'Whatever would I need to do that for husband? You've seen all of me on countless of occasions' she feigned innocence and bit her lip to stifle her amused laugh.

Lucas took in a deep breath to hold back his twin and stared up at her like a disappointed Father would. 'Have you been a bad girl Mrs Buck?' he asked calmly, trying to remember his anger and ignore the fact that she was only wearing a thin silk nightdress underneath her robe.

'Define bad Mr Buck' she teased, knowing he could not stay mad at her for long when she played like this.

Lucas sensed the mischief in her tone and felt the conflict inside of him. On one hand she had potentially defiled herself to get back at him, but on the other hand this was the first time in close to four weeks that she was acting her old self.

'Oh I never changed Lucas, it's you that ruined what we had and screwed with my career' she advised frankly, reading his thoughts.

Lucas sensed her mood instantly harden and let out a small laugh. 'Where is it?' he asked, ignoring her comment.

'Where's what?' Gail smiled, feigning ignorance.

Lucas inhaled deeply again, this time it took more effort to control his twin. 'The tattoo' he sighed and shot her a look of warning, which dared her to lie.

'Which one?' she laughed, proud of herself for finding a way to get to him as much as he had her.

Lucas felt himself starting to lose control, then grabbed her left wrist and pulled up her robe sleeve. He let out a long breath when he saw the small black Wicca symbol that was tattooed there and shook his head disappointingly. 'Inner peace, is that what you think you have?' he asked in disbelief.

'When I'm not with you? Oh absolutely' she stated hurtfully and watched as his eyes turned cold.

'And the other?' he asked more forcefully this time.

'Somewhere only a person I trust can find it' she advised, then watched as he instinctively knelt down on the porch step and parted her robe.

Lucas ran his hand up the side of her legs and parted them slowly. He leaned close to her sweet spot and noticed the small Wicca symbol on the top inside of her thigh, then ran his finger across the slightly inflamed marked flesh. 'You let someone this close to you? Who was it?' he asked angrily, as thoughts of another man being close to the spot he treasured the most flooded his brain.

Gail sensed his darkness was about to break free and although she wanted to hurt him, she did not want anyone getting hurt because of her; therefore, she reached down and ran her hand through his hair slowly, then knelt down to his level. 'What I choose to do to my body is my choice, there is no-one else to blame here but me' she advised calmly, staring deep into his eyes.

Lucas felt her soothing tone flow through his body and kept his twin caged. 'I will find out and I will kill him, it'll be better for all involved if you just give me a name'

'It would've been better for all involved if you hadn't held a knife against my throat Lucas' Gail advised seriously, shifting his focus from the poor man who was just doing what she paid for.

Lucas let out and exasperate sigh, then took her chin in his hand and forced his lips upon hers. When she tried to struggle free he tightened his grip and controlled her dominantly, refusing to break their connection. 'You are mine' he reminded her, when he allowed her to break free from their embrace.

'And now I'm marked' Gail said bitterly, then stood up and refastened her robe.

Lucas followed her up and stepped closer, allowing him to be on a similar level with her. 'This disobedience stops now' he ordered in a dominating tone.

'If you insist on messing with my career, I will find new and unusual ways to punish this body that you crave so much' she warned, not backing down.

'You think I'll allow that?' Lucas asked amused, as he went to grab her; however, Abe came out of the house when he had spotted the way he had previously handled her and Lucas decided to take a step back, so not to give his oldest friend a reason to turn against him.

'Your perfect obedient wife has gone, so get out of my life Lucas!' Gail snapped, then stormed into the house with Abe in tow and left Lucas outside to deal with his anger alone.

-The End-


End file.
